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Imagine entering an elevator with several veteran teachers and overhearing the following conversation:

“These students today just won’t sit still and listen to me anymore. I’m not sure how they are ever going to learn!”

“All they are ever interested in are their GameBoys and their LOLs!”

“And in the days of budget cuts and really having to look at what is absolutely important to teach these kids, I don’t understand why I keep reading about technology as a solution. What a waste!”

As the door shuts, you quickly realize that you have a small amount of time to make an impression to your now captive audience.

Each team member should record a video elevator speech on the importance of educational technology. Each speech should be approximately 1 minute long, and should reflect your personal, passionate views on teaching and learning with technology. Please post all team members’ elevator speeches on one response page/post with brief supporting text.

You have just 1 minute to create the right first impression. This is the window of opportunity for which you have been waiting.

Ready? Set? Go!

Although many teachers may be used to the traditional way of teaching in education, technology is making itself known in the 20th century education system. Teachers who did not grow up learning technology, or “digital immigrants”, do not have the same experience as upcoming teachers who have grown up learning with technology, or “digital natives”, according to Marc Prensky in his article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. Technology enhances education of students by preparing students for the technology driven future, heightening motivation and engagement, being able to connect and discuss ideas with people everywhere, provide multiple ways to learn through apps and games, and making education fun for students. As a future educator, I recognize the importance and necessity of technology in aiding students’ learning. I will work to educate myself on advancing technology and continue to advocate for technology integration in education settings. -Morgan

Kids in schools now are apart of the digital native age. According to the article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants by Marc Prensky, “Our students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our education system was designed to teach.” They were born in a world that is full of technology. It would be unfair to the students to rob them of the chance to learn how to use technology responsibly and properly. By implementing technology in the classroom, we can provide our students with so many amazing resources that cannot be found in textbooks! Many of you may think that technology is not important because you are not apart of this ‘digital native’ generation. In order for our students to succeed in today’s world, we need to incorporate technology into the classroom! -Allie

Technology use in schools is crucial for our student’s success. It is counterproductive to not use technology in the classroom because students will be using technology all the time in the real world. In the article Technology Integration Frameworks for the K-12 Curriculum the authors state, “Today, technology makes it possible to bring the world into the classroom and to get students out into the world with ‘virtual’ outreach and excursions into the physical world”. It is important that students make connections between what they do in the classroom to what they can do outside of school. Students, teachers, and parents should realize that technology does not only need to be a distraction. If used correctly and effectively, it is a great education resource with great benefits to the students. -Melanie